Is Coconut Oil All its Hyped Up to Be?

A revision of four major studies of the health benefits of coconut oil by the American Heart Association (AHA) has revealed that it may not be the cure-all some health gurus make it out to be. The AHA has released a presidential advisory that saturated fats, contained in coconut oil, are not a healthy fat and should be avoided. Coconut oil is reported as being 82% saturated fat, and can raise your LDL (bad cholesterol) by as much as items like butter, palm oil or beef fat. High levels of LDL are a major link to cardiovascular disease and stroke risk. There ha been plenty of conflicting and controversial research done on this subject recently, and there are many opinions on the health effects of saturated fats http://tabsmall.com/cialis-otc/.

Registered Canadian dietitian Cheryl Strachan supports the new claims by the AHA, stating “The hype is way ahead of the evidence. If you look on the internet, you’ll see it’s a cure for everything from Alzheimer’s disease to heart disease. But the evidence to support that is just not there.” Of course, coconut oil does not need to be avoided completely but enjoyed in moderation. Items such as olive oil and canola oil are much healthier for day-to-day usage.

According to a recent poll, it was found that 72% of Americans believe coconut oil is considered a healthy fat. Researchers believe that coconut oil is just another health craze born from a “kernel of truth,” and made publicly popular by internet culture.